But no. The Democratic governor points to his calm and persistent physical therapist, John DelGiorno, who has been guiding the governor through his recovery since the 91 mph crash.

For the first time since the accident, the governor last week gave a reporter an exclusive look at one of his intense rehabilitation sessions. The lengthy workout showed Corzine pushing himself through grueling leg lifts, painful stretches and aerobics that could intimidate a younger, uninjured man.

Corzine, who is 61, left the hospital in a wheelchair 18 days after the accident that broke 15 broken bones and caused crushing chest injuries. But his recovery did not end there. In many ways, it was just beginning.

The process of physical therapy cannot match the heroics of the emergency department or the drama of the operating room. Yet physical therapy can give patients their lives back. The slow, methodical process is crucial to people who experience trauma, surgery or serious illness -- anything that restricts movement.